Electric vaporizer



Sept. 16, 1930. J. RoBlNs'oN ELECTRIC VAPORIZR Filed May 3, 1927 HNTORATTORNEY Patented sept. 16, 1930 UNTED f STATES AParrraN'r Ormea JOSEPHROBINSON, F NEW YORKN. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO BOY M. WOIam, OFNEW YORK, N. Y.

l macinate vPoBIzEn Application mea may s, 1927. serial 1ro. 188,559.

My invention relates to vaporizing devices for holding medicinalcompounds which are electrically or otherwise heated to produce vaporsfor inhalation, and the general object is to provide a'device of thischaracter for individual use which may .be freely handled without anypossibility of being burned, and which is sanitary and very` effectiveand so simple'that anyone can use it. Instruments of this characterheretofore provided are quite intricate and invariably become so hotthat they cannotv be comfortably handled. In them the important elementof sanitation is neglected, and they are diiiicult to clean. To changefrom one compound to another without leaving particles of the previouscompound remaining in these prior instruments isslow and diliicult. Thevapors cannot be, by the act of inhalation, quickly lifted out of them,and the result is that the vapors are not delivered to the aiiictedparts hot enough or in sufficient volume to lbe fully eifective. Inmyinvention these essential requirements are eachvfully provided for ina manner that produces an extremely simple vaporizer which extended usehas demonstrated to be of great effectiveness -in the treatment of theaiictions for which its use is intended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectionalside elevationl of my inventionshowing it supported froma suitable hanger.

Figure 2 is an, enlarged sectional view of a part of my improvedvaporizer.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 2%#3 of Figure 2.

Figure iis an enlarged sectional elevation of a part of the heatingelement inthe preferred form of my invention, and v Figure 5 is asectional sideA elevation of a modification of my improvement.

Myinvention comprises a suitable hollow handle 7 of any desired materialover the upper end of 'which I mount a suitable ferrule 8 to reinforcethe handle. This end of the handle is providedl with an opening whichleads to the hollowv chamber 9 inthe handle. Into this opening I rigidlymount a seamless tube 10 of suitable material, preferably such as may benickel plated or silver plated, and

over this I press a thimble or seat 11,made

of the container 14 and the base '11, so that it will at all times beliquid tight, I provide a gasket 15. The upper end of the container 14is suitably provided with threads, and also with a reinforcing ,orprotecting ring 16 of suitable material, which ring is pressed over theend of 'the container or is otherwise mounted thereon or therein and thering may, if desired, carr the threads which I have shown as being ormedon the walls of the upper end of the container. The ring 16 or the upperend of the container forms a seat for the base of the nozzle 17, whichis threadingly' or otherwisemounted in this end of the container. Thenozzle is provided with anl extension or shank 18, and an opening whichextends through thernozzle and the shank. The shank is adapted to form afluid tight joint with the upper. tapered end of the tube 10, as shownespecially in Figures 1 and 2, when the nozzle is screwed down intotight engagement with the upper end of the container 14 and/or the ring16. The threaded portion 19 of the nozzle is cut away at opposite sides,asshown at 20.111 Figures 2 and 3, to provide the entrance of a currentof ai'r into the container at the moment of inhalation.

To protect the' container 14 against lateral ymovement relative to thetube410 I either extend the thimble or seat 11 a substantial vdistancealon v the container or I mount'on the `upper en of the tube a spider orguide ring 21 having spaced projections 22 which l engage theinner wallsof the container and -form a support for it.

Within the tube 10 I mount a heating coil A, Figure 4, comprising astrand or strands of suitable wire 23, wound around an asbestos or othersuitable core 24, and provide it with y an outer covering of asbestos orother nonheat conducting material 25. This coil is 'doubled or loo ed,as shown in Figure 4,

tainer on inhalation. The coil extends beyond the lower end of the tube10 and is connected' to a suitable electric switch 26, preferably of theplunger type shown, mounted in the lower end of the handle 7, and fromthis switch to the electric cord 27, but of course ','of contact withthe walls ofthe handle or l to thecord if desired. As

4the. connection may be suitably made direct zpears in Figure 1,- thatportion of the coil which projects out of `the lower end of the tube issurrounded by a covering or core 28 of asbestos or othernon-heatconducting material to protect the handleor base 7 against heating andAthus render the instrument comfortable to handle. Further protectionagainst heating of vthe handle ma be provided by kmaking the number ofcoi s on the core' 24 greater per inch from a point between the bottomof the container 14 tothe upper end of the tube 10,

than from the bottom of the container to the switch 26, or suchprotection may be had by surrounding the lower part of the tube with anasbestos covering,or the tube may be made rigid with the ferrule 8 andby it held out vbase 7.

VOn the lower end of the handle I suitably mount a metallic 'ferrule'29, to which is secured, in any desired manner, as by threads,

a -metallic cap 30 carrying an :insulation ring 0r button 31. The lowerend of the handle` or base 7,- and of course theferrule 29 also areslotted to receive the plunger 32 of the switch 26, around which switchan insulation covering 33 is provided, whennot in use.

In operatlon, the container 14 is filled, with any compound desired tobe used, to a point about even withthe top of the ring 21, although moreor less .or the compound may be put in if desired. The current is thenturned on through the medium of the switch t'ainer jsufc'iently. topermit, on inhilation, a

26 and when the compound is heated to the desired temperatu re,preferably quite'hot, the` nozzle 1'?y is screwed upwardly in' theyconcurrent of air to passin along thesides ofthe nozzle, as indicatedby arrows in'Figure 2,

downwardly into contact with the compound (the air is heated as ittakes'this course) and thence upwardly through the shank 18 and -r thenozzle 17 carrying with it an abundance of the hot vapors and deliveringthem, while still hot, tothe 'ailicted parts. -If desired,

the heating capacity of the coil Amay be' such that it will notexcessively heat the comv pound regardless of how long the electriccur'- rent isleft on, and for some uses this maybe preferable, but ofcourse when the com- 1n any event, be turned ofi'. By placing around thetube `10 an outer tube or shield into which the compound mayenter onlyslowly, preferably near the base, forming'a film on the tube 10,jvapors-may be morequickly produced.

W'hen not in use my improved vaporizer 'is pound is properly heated, thecurrent should,

supported from the wall of the household" `medicine cabinet, or otherplace, by a suitable spring'hanger 34, orfot'herwise as by an eye orhook 35, Figure 5, later described.

A*It will be obvious that variousI mbdilications and adaptations of theessential ifeatures of myinvention may be made Without depart.A

ing from its spirit or 'scope. The tubelO v and coil A may for instancebe wound around the outside of the containerl4. and by simplyy enlargingthe containerfand the heating ele.

ment comprising the parts A and 10, my improvement may be used togenerate steam forthe treatment of throat a'well'as headA aliictions. InFigure 5 I show a specific modiication of. my improvement, w 1ch ada-ptsit for use where electricity is not avialable. The handlev36 in thismodification is hollow and forms a magazine in which is carried a seriesof fuel discs made of suitable material such as Sterno heat, or asuitable liquid for heat-v ing may be carried in the ma azine ifpreferred. The cap 37closes the ottom of the magazine and is secured inplace in any suitable manner as by threads. On the upper end of thehandle I mount a metal ferrule or stove 38.11aving a metallic bottom 39between which and the upper end of the handle 36 I'mount an "asbestos,or other non-heat conducting ring 40. I provide a= cone-shaped hood orsupporting member 41 and suita ly secure it to opposite .sides of theferrule or rigidly mount a container 42 made of suitable material, su'chas glass, the .upper c nd of which vcontainer is provided with a nozzle43 and air passages similar to the construction shown iii-Figure 1. T oposition the container in respect to the stove38 I provide it with astop 44. In operation, one of the discs 45 is placed in the stove Iandlighted to heat the compound in the container;` Vents 46 are provided inthe hood 4l to create a draft to draw the fiames up aroundv the, bottomof the .115 `stove 38. Into this'hood I'removably or container. Thismodified form otmy in- 've tion is convenientlyhung on a nail or ho k bymeans ofthe perforated lug 35, and

of course the form of `my invention illustrated in Figure 1 may belikewise equlpped as aforesaid.

' It will be observed that the form of my invention illustrated inFigure l may be said to comprise an elongated transparent container 14the lower end of which is secured,

, so as to be fluid tight, tothe upper end of a hollow Wooden handle 7out of the upper end of which handle an elongated heating element 10projects into said container and into the medicinal compound carriedtherein, the

. upper end-of the container being provided with a nozzle i7 throughwhich the' fumes oithe compound that are generated by the heatingelement are carried on inhalation. This l carries the heating element isalways a substantial distance from the users face, rendering theinstrument most convenient and comfortable V`for use.

What I claim is:

l. A vaporizer for generating vapors for inhalation, comprising incombination, a. container for holding a medicinal compound, a nozzlethrough which the vaporsare drawn by ,the act of inhalation, a seatarranged at one end of said container and forming therewith afiuid'tight joint, an elongated'handle carrying at one end an electricheating ele.

ment, said element including a tube rigidly mounted on the upper end ofsaid handle and extending away from said seat into said container asubstantial extent, the connection between said tube and said seat beingrigid and fluid tight, a deviceon said tube and in said container forpreventing undue lateralmovement of the containerrelative to said tube,whereby the container is protected against lateral strains, and aresistance coil extending well into said container and surrounded bysaid tube and protected from the air and the compound within saidcontainer by said v 2. A vaporizer for generating-vapors forinhalation,com rising in combination, a container for hol 'ng a medicinal compound,

j said container -bein .sides where it joins said nozzle, .saidnozzle vbeing adapted on being tion to" form a fluid turned 1n onedirectig tjoint with said container and said heating element thereby closing saidvents and said opening, and on being turned inthe opposite directionl toopen the' said vents and said opening.

3.' A vaporizer for generating vapors'for inhalation, comprising incombination, a container for holding a medicinal compound, an elongatedhollow handle on the upper end of which said container is mounted, meansfor preventing undue heating of said handle, a fluid tight tubeextending out of the upper end of said handle into said container andsaid compound a seat rigidly mounted on said tube and into which thelower end of said container is mounted in a luid tight manner, means torelieve the container of lateral strains, a loop 'resistance coil insaid tube and held out of contact with the air and the compound in saidcontainer by the tube, said coil comprising a wire wound 4around a coreof low heat conducting material and covered with an outer casing ofsimilar material, a perforated nozzle at the upper end of said containerandprovided with a shank, vents at opposite sides of said shank wherebyon inhalation currents of air enter into said vents and pass downwardlyinto contact with said compound and thence upwardly through said shankand nozzle carryin with them the vapors generated by said resistancecoil, a switch in the hollow of said handle for controlling theadmission of electric current to said coil, a d means for maintainingsaid switch and coil in place.

4. A vaporizer device of the class described comprising ,a container forholding a substance to be vaporized and the vapors thereinto includingmeans having a discharge passageand disposed to direct the air to apoint for admixture with the heated vapors as they enter the dischargepassage and cooperative with the heating element to control the exit ofthe mixture incident to adiustment of the air supply.

5. A vaporizer device of the class described comprising a container forholding a substance to be vaporized and the vapors therefrom, a heatingelement for vaporizin the substance, nozzle means cooperating wit thecontainer so as to rovide an air inlet, and a discharge conduit soarranged as to effect an admixture of the air and heated vapors at apoint adjacent, the heating elcm'ent, said conduit being adjustablerelative los ils

to the heating element to control the exit of- Y Y the mixture.

. 6. A vaporizer appliance comprising a container for holdinga substanceto be vaporized, a heating elementfor driving oi vapors from thesubstance, a vapor discharge conduit lhaving its entrance disposed`closely adjacent to the heating element, and means for shiftingsaidconduit in relation'to the heating element to control the operative areaof its entrance. l

7. IA vaporizer appliance comprising a cont'aine'rA for holding asubstance to be vaporized, a heating element extending longitudinally ofthe substance holding container to ya point between its ends, and anozzle member having a tubular extension al so extending longitudinallyand into-cooperatlve' relatlon l with the heating element so as toprovide a more or less restricted entrance to said extenslon. l .v A.

8. A vaporlzer apphance com'prlsmg a container for holding a substanceto be vaporized, aheating element extending longitudimore or lessrestricted entrance to said extenslon, and means for eilectlng movementslso nally of the lsubstance holding container to a point between itsends, a nozzle member having a tubular extension also extendinglongitudinally and into cooperative relation with the heating element so'as to provide a of the extension toward or from the heatingl element toregulatethe operative area of the entranc to said extension. f

9. A vaporizer appliance comprising a container for holding a substanceto be vapor- 124. In a vaporizer device of the class dec p charge of itscontents. l

In testimony ywhereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

- JOSEPH ROBINSON.

ized, a heating element for driving off vapors l from the substance, avapor discharge conduit having its entrance disposed closely adjacent tothe heating element, and means for shifting said conduit in relation tothe heating element-to control the operative area of its l' entrance,said means constituting a nozzle with which the discharge conduitcommunicates. 10. A vaporizer appliance 4comprising a container'forholding a substance to be vaporized, a heating element mountedat one endof the container andextending longitudinallyl thereof to a point withinthe same, said element beingconstructed to provide a seat at the endthereof, and nozzle means mounted at theother .end'of the containerandhaving a discharge passage therethrough the entrance to whlchis adaptedto cooperate with the seat Yon the heating element to regulate the vapor1 discharge'from the nozzle.

container for holding a substanceto be vapor f 11. '1A vaporizer.appliance' comprising a ized. la heating element mounted at one end I'ofthe vcontainerand `extending longitudinally'thereof to a point withinthe same, said element being constructed to. providel a seat l nt theend thereof, nozzle means mounted at v the other end of the containerand havinga discharge passage therethrough theentrance to which isadapted to cooperate with the seat Ion the heating element to regulatethe vapor discharge from the nozzle, and means I for effectingadjustmentof the nozzle to adl mit air ,into the container and regulatethe A. ,..;\.f,fapor.an`dair admixture discharged through l,

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